Brace Care Tips
Oral Hygiene
Perfect your brushing!
It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist.
Brushing tips:
- Brush at least twice a day – after breakfast and evening meal
- If you can, we recommend brushing after lunch too – this will help keeps things nice and clean!
- Either a manual or electric toothbrush is fine. The important thing is that the brush is used in the correct way
- For patients wearing a fixed brace: use an interdental brush or a TePe brush to clean under the wires and in between the brackets. This brush is essential to be able to clean the teeth fully and reach the all the areas that your normal toothbrush won’t reach
- For patients wearing Invisalign: use a soft bristle brush with cold water and a small amount of toothpaste. It is not advisable to soak the alingers in denture cleaning solution or mouthwash as this can damage the surface of the alinger causing them to become dull and therefore more visible
Avoid certain foods that could damage your fixed brace:
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls unless they are finely cut up first
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, crusty bread, pizza crusts
- Sticky foods: caramels, toffees
- Hard foods: nuts, boiled sweets
- Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots (unless they are finely chopped)
- Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces
- Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer
What if my mouth is sore?
It is normal for a fixed brace to rub a little bit for a few days to start with, but it will settle as your cheeks ‘harden’ and you get used to it.
If there is a particular part of the brace that is rubbing, you can get relief by using orthodontic wax or a sugar free chewing gum to cover the area that is causing the discomfort.
If the teeth are tender to pressure, ensure you have a soft diet for a day or two. Regular over the counter pain relief should help too if needed.
Retainer Care
Removable Retainers
- Removable retainers need to be cleaned after every wear with a regular toothbrush and toothpaste. This will eliminate any plaque and odors and keep the retainers clean and fresh
- During the day, when you are not wearing your retainers, store them in cold fresh water. Never store them in hot water as this will distort the retainer and they may then not fit correctly
Fixed Retainers
- Fixed retainers need to be included in your routine brushing. Make a point of directing your brush around the wire and in the inside of your front teeth
- If you wish to floss below the wire, we recommend Oral B Superfloss, which can be threaded through at gum level because of its thickened end section
For further information or if you have any queries about looking after your brace, contact us on 01865 370375.
